The DAMN COWARD fled!

I glance back to Lord Folcon's head rolling across the ground.

My chest was fuzzy with frustration at how the situation had turned out.

My opponent had been the Marquess himself, so I was elated to be able to stand against him directly in combat. It was supposed to have been a beautiful moment of two high ranking people fighting each other and inspiring the people behind them.... but he fled! Ran like a coward like his life was worth more if he was alive!

Coward!

Filthy hound!

How dare you leave your soldiers behind like that as their leader?! Unless you're knocked out or dead you should always be the last on the battlefield!

I grit my teeth in fury as one of the most beautiful moments in war was spoiled, turned muddy and filthy.

I turn ahead instead towards our guard tower. The knights should be able to take care of everything else at the castle. These gutless cowards had been routed even before I descended on the battlefield. I was certain I'd have resistance for at least ten minutes or so.

I nudged my horse to continue, leaving the corpse of the coward behind. He wasn't going to get up without his head anyway.

I take off the ribbon in my hair and ruffle my long hair with frustration. The only ones here worth my praise are our own men. They reacted with much more courage after my words than I thought they had.

I clicked my tongue. Well, as long as I wasn't disappointed with my own people I suppose it is will pass.

I scrunch up my nose. I'll let the survivors run back home like cowards after I take back the tower. There is no reason to chase them further, I have no need to massacre them considering how they're all shitting their pants while running.

---*---

It doesn't take long to get to the observation tower, but being in a bad mood I force the gates open with a forceful flood wave and rush in to kill everyone laying on the ground without mercy. We never heard from the soldiers posted here, so these guys likely surprise attacked them as they were leaving. The observation tower should be abandoned upon the sight of the 2500 enemies after all.

It doesn't take us a long time to reach the upper floors, and as I barge in the last door with the force of an adult, a sight of horror meets my eyes.

They'd kept the guards alive... until they realized we were coming.

Fresh blood slowly poured over the floor in a thick pool. They'd been stabbed and cut multiple times, as if to take their anger out on the prisoners. I feel my breath go ragged.

The prisoners had their hands and knees bound, even gagged as well. They'd been killed like that without a fight for their lives.

My stomach churns with heat that stirs my body... but a weak, almost inaudible sound comes from the side of my room. One of the soldiers is leaning protectively over a civilian woman. He's cut up as badly as the others, but a ghost of life still lights in his eyes.

Without hesitation I rush to his side and place a hand on his chest while chanting a healing prayer. I pray quietly that I make it in time and attempt to keep calm.

I managed to save one of them.

I glance to the woman he's guarding, but she's only covered in his blood. She appears to be unhurt other than bruises and... and...

My mind nearly goes blank in the middle of my healing spell, so instead I focus on making sure he lives. That he lives and explains. That he lives and continues to protect her.

He slowly begins to stir as his wounds close.

"Ce....leste-sama..." he goes by my clothes. I stare into his eyes to catch every word, for looks as though he is about to break.

"We... could not protect her... she just came with lunch..." Tears pressed at his eyes, but I understood. She left the village before the raid, but arrived before the men found out about the incoming army. They were taken prisoners along with her... and...

No... I can't lose focus, no matter how white anger flies from my stomach to my head. I feel dizzy from anger as Al and Tony approach behind me.

"...Poor lass... bastards didn't let her run..."

They sounded calm... and collected...

I turn my widened eyes at them, but I cannot hide my shock, nor my fury.

"Why do you not sound surprised?"

They jolt at my question, undoubtedly from my expression of fury.

"No... I mean... this was to be expected for the female prisoners..."

I feel sick, a cold nausea mixes with the feeling of fiery anger.

"Expected? Would they all do... this? This filthy act. This dishonorable act."

Al and Tony glance to each other.

"Most of them probably would..."

I think back of everything that has happened till now and grit my teeth. The healing chant finishes, but the soldier is fine now. It's been reduced to scratches... but I couldn't concentrate any further. My mind is blank with anything but finding the nearest enemy and ripping him to shreds.

"How dare those pigs bring that behavior to my battlefield. I'll tear them apart till nothing is left."

I look to Al and Tony with this burning feeling inside me.

"We're heading out."

I had wanted to let them run... but there was no way I would allow such pigs one step into safety. Any single one of them alive would be a danger to my people. Filth. Vermin. Insects. I'll crush you, every single one of you.

The filth had violated that woman. Behavior unworthy of a soldier, no... unworthy of human beings.

I get outside with swift steps and remount the horse while clenching my sword tightly.

You treat prisoners of war with respect. You do not hurt them in any way, that is how you treat prisoners. For filth that cannot do that, and stoops as low as to violate those too weak to resist... and in front of those who had to protect her.

That thought is the last I have that day.

Everything else is white from anger... and red from the blood of the fleeing cowards.

---*---

Lieutenant Rick of Fort Brightrock's Point Of View

It was a truly calm day. The skies were calm and the wind was fresh, it was truly a beautiful morning.

"Lieutenant, sir. It's a messenger from the army. It appears to have an escort along with it as well."

I get up from my spot in the sun.

"The daily messenger, huh? I suppose it'll be news of victory this time."

I stretch calmly and rub my shoulder.

Ordinarily I should have been with the rest of the army, but because I got in a fight the day before we left I had to change places with the guy that was usually stationed here. It was a truly boring place.

The village nearby was a sleepy little place, and this fort even more so. It didn't have any recorded battles for over 40 years because the Marquess family on the other side of the passage were always defensive. You could see it just by the size of the fortifications on each side of the pass. I mean this was a sleepy fortress, whereas they had a freaking castle.

To think I'd have to stay here until my pals came back in a parade of victory.

I moved up the old wooden stairs to the wall and looked to the direction of the pass with another yawn.

Ah~ there he is.

He's riding quite fast though, like he's got the devil at his heels. There's no need to rush that much for news of victory, is there?

I raise an eyebrow at his behavior and look to the escort behind him. Why an escort? It was supposed to be a siege, so it wasn't like the enemy could attack any messengers coming out.

I lean against the crenelations and watch them lazily for a few moments.

Actually, those heavy looking escorts are riding faster than the messenger.

The sound of a faint voice reach my ears, and the messenger waves his hand. Seems like he wants us to open the gate to let him in.

"Hey~ open the gate," I call down to the guys at the gate and observe the people getting closer. Actually, now where they're getting closer... isn't that escort a little too far behind him to be an escort?

Wait... those colors aren't ours...

Since most of them are in armor I didn't notice at first, but they're clearly showing their navy blue colors... not our flaming ones!

I straighten up in an instant.

"F-!" I stop myself from cursing.

"CLOSE THE GATE AS SOON AS HE'S IN! A CAVALRY SQUAD IS RIGHT BEHIND HIM!" I scream down and rush back down from the wall to my sunny spot to pick up my sword and shield.

What the hell is going on?! What about the siege?! Those are definitely Marquess Celeste's colors so they aren't help from the outside. Did the Marquess trick them?!

I make my way back up to the wall as the messenger makes it inside.

"We lost! The Lord is dead!"

The messenger screams his report in a panic and shakes violently.

"Did Lord Celeste come back?!" I yell while running back up the stairs.

"NO! SON OF SCOROG!"

I stop for a moment and look back at him as I hear those words. Son of Scorog?

The sound of warriors screaming turns my attention back to the wall, where I peer over the edge... as a flood wave comes at us. It's huge... but... it won't reach. It'll stop right at the height of the fort walls. The caster is a child at the front of the charging cavalry unit.

Must be one of Lord Celeste's kids to be able to summon that much water at that age.

The air suddenly freezes over... and so does the rippling flood wave just as the edge reaches the crenelations... The wave glitters at me, and too late I realize what is going on... because the boy recklessly drives his horse up the rugged frozen bridge of water in a gallop. The riders behind him doesn't hesitate for a moment, and I realize that our defenses are breached in an instant.

Son of Scorog.

"PREPARE FOR IMPACT!" I scream to my men and raise my sword, but I am not met with the hooves of a horse. Instead yet another flood wave bursts out from nowhere and throws us down from the walls and stairs without mercy. The torrent rips apart everything in its way and forces us prone upon the ground.

I barely manage to get on my feet again before I must raise my shield at an incoming sword from one of the riders. He jumped off his horse in an instant and was at me without hesitance.

I can hear the screams of my men, as the enemy soldiers cuts them down before they can get back on their feet. It's a massacre.

The man in front of me pulls back in time for me to see the boy coming at me with the fierce eyes of a beast.

I didn't notice at first, but his sword is enormous. I barely parry it, and only to feel the strength far beyond my own. I tilt my sword to the side to let the other one slide off, and return his strike with one of my own, but though his eyes are on me and my sword every moment, he doesn't manage to block it or dodge it. The huge sword of his is likely too heavy.

He doesn't budge even a little as my sword digs into his arm. As long as he cannot wield his sword it's my victory. He begins to mutter, and this time I brace for another floor wave. I mustn't fall this time. To my surprise, none of his soldiers are watching us, they're getting rid of everyone else. I can't tell if the boy is distracting me, or if they don't want to get in the way of his fight.

The boy in front of me changes his stance. Not a lot, but just a little bit... and his eyes turn distant. He charges in without hesitance. I'll twist the direction of his sword and cut him down. I decided that, but as he strikes... it's like the sword... like water... passes around my shield... and deep into my chest.

"Your name."

The boy's light voice asks me.

"Rick... Rick Fuller," I choke out. The boy looks at me with clear eyes, and as a small smile presses on his lips I realize... she's a girl. A pretty cute one too...

Daughter of Scorog...

"You did well. I'll stop here, in dedication to your courage."

Courage?

Isn't it... natural... to give your all?

Maybe she heard my inner thought, because her smile widens.

---*---

My view shifts... to the top of a mountain... the fresh cold breeze fills my lungs while the warm and mild sun heats my body.

It is a truly beautiful day.